My cousin Phil Geyelin passed away. He was a very talented journalist and helped raise one of my favorite people, my cousin Mary Sherman. He'll be missed.

As it happens I share a birthday with Dewey, and we have made it a tradition that every year on my birthday (which is today) Gene draws the strip. Just in case you were wondering about the sudden, er, style change. For what it's worth I think he did a great job!